Field of the Invention
This invention relates to rectifier housings for use with incandescent electric light bulbs, and more particularly to a rectifier housing that can be inserted into an electric wall outlet and can receive a line cord plug that is connected with one or more lamp sockets.
The use of rectifier devices to extend the life of incandescent electric light bulbs is well in known. In such devices a half-wave rectifier is inserted in the light bulb socket, between the socket center terminal and the tip contact of the typical threaded-base-type light bulb, in order to extend the life of the bulb by reducing the effective voltage applied to the bulb filament. The rectifier operates essentially to convert alternating current to pulsating direct current, the effective voltage level of which is lower than that of the alternating current source. By imposing a lower effective voltage upon the light bulb filament, the operating life of the filament is substantially extended, in some instances enabling a bulb to operate for a period of 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for at least ten years.
In order to take advantage of the long light bulb life that results from the use of rectifier devices, various structures have been proposed in which a rectifier is provided in an electric line and in series with a light bulb filament. For example, a rectifier has been provided directly in a lamp socket as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,125, which issued July 21, 1959, to R. C. Morton. Diodes have also been incorporated in a double wall switch as also disclosed in the previously-identified Morton patent, as well as in a single, three position wall switch as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,554, which issued Mar. 14, 1967, to G. R. Lawson. Further, a diode has been provided as a part of a removable lamp socket that includes an on-off switch, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,259, which issued June 23, 1970, to G. A. Dotto, and in a removable lamp socket that includes a bright-dim switch as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,302, which issued Mar. 5, 1968, to H. Fasola.
In addition to placement in wall switches and in light bulb sockets, rectifiers have also been positioned in line cords themselves together with a line cord miniature switch, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,236, which issued Aug. 28, 1979, to Peter Andrews.
Finally, in addition to placement in switch and socket assemblies, rectifiers have also been provided in a removable form wherein a diode is provided in a disc-shaped housing for direct attachment to the base of an incandescent light bulb, and for easy removal therefrom for use with a different light bulb, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,861, which issued Oct. 1, 1985, to Roy Kretchmar.
Although the known devices permit the benefits of rectification in various types of circuit arrangements, and although the rectification arrangements that include the positioning of rectifier elements in wall switches and in light sockets are usable to provide the benefits of rectification in conjunction with the use of three-way light bulbs, it is desirable to provide a rectifier housing that can be readily removed from an electric lighting circuit for reuse in another lighting circuit, and one that can also be used with such lighting devices as three-way light bulbs, decorative string lamps, christmas tree lamps, outdoor decorative lamps, night lights, and other incandescent lighting arrangements normally deriving power from a suitable electric outlet. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such a device.